Criminal offences drop but become more serious in HCM city



Jan. 4 (VNA) -- Ho Chi Minh (HCM) City police investigated more than 9,000 criminal offences last year, which left 104 people dead and 572 injured, and caused property losses totalling VND 95.5 billion.

The yearly metropolitan police figures show an overall fall of 17.7 percent in crime, 20 percent in casualty toll and 19 percent in property losses as compared to 1999.

But, despite the drop, police say, offences were more serious and there are indications that criminal gangs have penetrated law-enforcement agencies.

Rubbers exports increase in 2000




Ha Noi, Jan. 3 (VNA) -- Viet Nam exported about 280,000 tonnes of latex worth USD 170 million last year - a rise of almost 16 percent over 1999.

The higher exports signal the industry's emergence from the 1999 crisis in rubber prices. The year 2000 also saw Viet Nam's latex exports to China meet quotas totalling 10,000 tonnes.

5,443 businesses were established in Ho Chi Minh city in 2000



Ha Noi, Jan. 3 (VNA) -- A total of 5,443 businesses with a combined capital of VND 6,500 billion (USD 464 million) were established in Ho Chi Minh City in 2000, the first year after the Enterprise Law took effect.

The figures showed year-on-year increases of 130 percent and 70 percent in the number of businesses and capital, respectively.

Besides, 8,565 other businesses added more than VND 3,000 billion to their investment capital.

83,5 million tonnes of goods through Vietnam's sea ports



Ha Noi, Jan. 3 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's sea ports handled 83.5 million tonnes of goods, including nine million tonnes of goods in transit, in 2000, a 17.2 percent year-on-year increase.

As many as 9.6 million tonnes were transported through Sai Gon port, surpassing the yearly plan by 13.2 percent or making a year-on-year increase of 15.5 percent, a record over the past six years.

55th anniversary of first general election marked





Ha Noi, Jan. 4 (VNA) -- The National Assembly of Viet Nam during the ten tenures over the past 55 years has made remarkable contributions to the national revolutionary cause.

NA Chairman Nong Duc Manh made his remarks at a get-together to mark the 55th anniversary of the NA first general election, which was held on Jan. 4, 1946 after the establishment of the Democratic Republic of Viet Nam, now the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, on Sept. 2, 1945.

UNDP provides aid for Vietnam's tourism development



Ha Noi, Jan. 2 (VNA) -- The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has provided USD 232,000 to help the Viet Nam Tourism Administration (VTA) to revise its master plan for tourism development in Viet Nam to 2010.

A team of national and international experts is working to update the master plan prepared by the VTA in 1995. The experts will develop change indicators for tourist sites in order to assess the impact of tourism on natural and cultural resources of Viet Nam.

Joint stock bank launches on line home banking service




Ha Noi, Jan. 02 (VNA) -- The joint stock Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) on Jan. 2, launched a new on-line Home Banking Intranet service.

The service allows customers with personal computers to keep abreast of what's going in and out of their accounts while also allowing them to keep up to date with new services introduced by the bank.

Interest rates, ACB fee tables and all the documents and circulars issued by the State Bank of Viet Nam will also be on-line.

Action program prevents prostitution




Ha Noi, Jan. 3 (VNA) -- The Prime Minister has approved an action programme for prostitution prevention in the period of 2001-2005.

The programme stresses the necessity to prohibit prostitution in all forms as this social evil causes degradation in ethics and lifestyle, the spread of HIV/AIDS epidemic, and break of conjugal happiness, thus affecting social order.

The programme aims to abolish the vice among adolescents, especially pupils and students, and prevent public employees from prostitution by 2003.

Livestock breeding grows in 2000

LIVESTOCK BREEDING GROWS IN 2000


Ha Noi, Jan. 1 (VNA) -- Viet Nam had 4.15 million cows, 320,000 million milch cows, 2.95 million buffaloes, 19.54 million pigs and 189.2 million heads of poultry this year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reports.

The country's cow herbs and milch cow increased two percent and more than 10 percent, respectively, over 1999 while that of buffaloes saw a year-on-year increase of 0.34 percent.

Vietnam increases budget for Population programme




Ha Noi, Jan. 1 (VNA) -- Allocations from the State budget for the Population Programme in 2001 will increase to VND 250 billion (USD 17.8 million), VND 25 billion higher than 2000.

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